Includes PushSquare
Last reviewed: Mina the Hollower · 6 days ago
Luna Abyss is a AA shooter that holds its own against some of the elite of the genre. Its enticing and ominous sci-fi world is a delight to look at artistically, even if its muddy graphics let it down on closer inspection. Its story is fine, but a slick sense of progression keeps its action and platforming interesting from start to finish.
Planet Zoo is, ironically, a relatively toothless park building game. It doesn't have the delicious chaos of the Jurassic World Evolution games or the thrills of building your own rollercoaster and then hoping it'll stay on the tracks in Planet Coaster. But it's a pleasant and charming game. There's an airy joy in creating a peaceful home for animals to live in, and the earnest conservationist slant of Planet Zoo is hard to fault.
The Ace Attorney Investigations games are oddities. They're Ace Attorney games without the best thing about Ace Attorney games. They're a fresh start with a different protagonist, but you need to have played the old games to get the most out of them. The wider appeal seems limited here, but for existing fans of the franchise there's plenty to enjoy.
Vampire Survivors, then – it’s f**cking brilliant and it costs less than a coffee. Get it fed into your eyeballs fast!
Shadow of the Ninja Reborn is a worthy addition to the collection of any arcade or retro enthusiast. Even more than three decades later, mobility techniques and ninja gear combine to make it a compelling game, provided you're up to the challenge.
Star Wars Outlaws gets by with a refreshed approach to the Ubisoft open world blueprints, fun traversal, and the themes and setting of a galaxy nobody could hope to replicate - but only just. So many of its core pillars, from the lacklustre reputation system to the basic combat and stealth mechanics, feel incredibly surface-level. There's little depth to invest in, leaving the game a fun enough investment in the moment that'll prove forgettable further down the line. It's a perfectly fine video game, which feels like an anticlimax given the IP it's attached to.
And while the differences between each zone are mostly just cosmetic, they all feel distinct enough with varied colours, enemy types, and overall themes. A chill soundtrack enhances the laidback and friendly tone kickstarted by the visuals and general gameplay direction, making Cyrpt Custodian a relaxing experience just as much as it is an entertaining one — an impressively accomplished game all in all.
As a nostalgia-driven retread of the classic Mana adventure, Visions of Mana is rock solid - but it struggles to be anything more than a reminder of how magical those old RPGs could be. If you can look beyond the game's monotonous storytelling and tragically bland characters, the essence of an old-school excursion is here, in the exploration of wonderful environments and in battles against burly boss monsters.
It isn't offering much you haven't seen before in the genre, but Monster Jam Showdown is a really solid racer and by far the best the series has been in a long time.
Concord is a clean and well-meaning first-person shooter, with no shady business practices to boot. Its lack of real identity is an issue, and it's difficult to determine just how much Sony is going to get behind it long-term. However, there's a polished and beautifully presented experience on offer here, with some interesting tactical team-building systems and sublime animations. Firewalk's debut may not be out of this world, but it's genuinely pretty good overall.
It takes time for Black Myth: Wukong's combat to truly click, but when it does, this is one of the most creative action titles on PS5. One after another, its spectacular boss battles steal the show - a procession of memorable encounters that showcase the game's incredible artistry. As a whole, however, the experience is held back by limited level design and frustrating technical issues on PS5 - a damn shame, since Wukong is pure monkey magic at its peak.
In White Day 2: The Flower That Tells Lies, you step into the shoes of Korean high-schoolers as they investigate the cause of a fire. The puzzles are challenging and the web of mystery surrounding everything is intriguing, but a lack of direction and several technical issues make the game more frustrating than scary.
The writing is the real star, though, with a manic joke-a-minute energy that is so deliciously, darkly comedic. A number of references are a little dated now, and a couple of jokes aren’t nearly as funny in today's world. However, by and large, the wackiness of the narrative and minute-to-minute character interactions propel the title forward.
Not since P.T. has PlayStation seen such an effective single location horror experience. With its simple setup, looping story, and inventive scares, Mortuary Assistant is borderline essential for genre fans.
If you're looking for a decent, but not overly demanding action RPG, you could do a lot worse than That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Isekai Chronicles. It's a pleasant anime-based adventure, topped off with enjoyable action — but you'll need to endure some serious repetition along the way.
Despite missing a few features from the PC version and eye-watering prices for customisation items, Riot has crafted an incredible shooter in Valorant and done a stellar job at transitioning it over to PS5. It's a unique breed of multiplayer shooter that won't be for everyone, but those looking for an intense, competitive experience won't find anything better on Sony's console.
Pepper Grinder's look is also really sprightly (pun intended): its pixel art is simple and well-executed, with occasionally characterful animations, and the whole thing's backed by a funky soundtrack. This might not be the most substantial of platformers, but it's a spirited entry.